{Glimpse} Outings

Glimpse is my post where I share things that I want my kids to remember.  Wonderful memories about them as children.  A small glimpse in to what life was like when they were kids.  Glimpse is also a place for me to jot down things that I am thankful for.  When I am having a bad day, I am always thankful that I keep a blog.  It reminds me of what is good.

Today, this is what I want them to remember, and what I never want to forget.

We have good kids.

Recently we took them to a Travelers baseball game. 

We had such a great night hanging out downtown.

Anytime we go somewhere with four kids, we get lots of looks.

I am sure people’s first reaction is, I hope we are not sitting by them.

It never fails though; there is always at least one person that compliments us on our kids and their behavior.  That is music to a parents ears.

To our kids:

Most of the time, wherever we go; you are good.

We can go most any place, and you are on your best behavior.

Your dad and I are so thankful that we can take you places, and actually enjoy ourselves.  We enjoy using these opportunities to teach you manners and respect for others.

A dinner out with you is always enjoyable.

Movies in the theater; wonderful.

A trip to the ball park is a delight.

In fact, everyone with kids started leaving before or around the fifth inning.  We stayed until the last pitch was thrown, and the fireworks were lighting up the sky.

 

It was late, and there was not one meltdown.

It was a delight to be at the ball park with each of you.

Thank you for being the kind of kids that your parents want to hang out with.

Scrapbook Pages:

thanks to Jessica Sprague for her fun freebies they made great baseball pages.

{Glimpse} Brothers

I finally sat down and worked on a little project. 

Well, not really sat down.  I stood up and worked on a project.

I haven’t done a project in quite some time.  It has been on my list for a long time.

I wanted a banner for my boy’s room. 

I wanted to add a little something special to their curtains.

I also wanted to remind them of the bond they share.

It was FREE to me.  I had all of the supplies.

I made it out of a map of Arkansas that I had floating around.   Once I got the flags cut out, I put them on some brown cardstock to make it a little sturdier. 

I used a stamp set I had to spell out the word Brother, and an orange colored pencil to color it in. I attached the letters with pop dots so they are 3D.

I attached the flags together with some metal brads and brown string.

I gave it a little added touch by making it look aged with a brown ink pad.

A project that I put off for months and it only took me 45 minutes.

Doesn’t it look so great in their room?

I need to make time for little projects.  They make me happy.

I even used the banner in my latest photo shoot.

Our boys are great friends.  Jex is such a good example to Isaac.  This banner is more then just a fun decoration.  It represents them.  The word brother is such an important word to be hanging up in their room.  A word that I want them to remember, honor and respect.

On the last flag I attached the words: “Brother take me by the hand, and show me the way.”

I hope that Jex does just that. 

As I made the banner, I also thought of our older brother; Jesus.  How many times he has taken me by the hand and shown me the way.

And that is just a glimpse.

Glimpse {on Motherhood}

It has been extremely hard for me not to think about Motherhood and Mother’s this past week.  I had a beautiful Mother’s Day.  I couldn’t help but think about my own mom. I often think about her, and what it was like when we were young.  I wonder if she had the same struggles as me when we were young.  I wonder if she worried like I do.  I wonder, wonder, wonder.

In the midst of my own personal trial, I wonder some more.  …and then I call her.  She tells me that she did.  She recounted stories from my childhood of times when she felt overwhelmed, or pressured.  None of these memories come to the surface for me, and if they do I don’t recall her struggling.(I don’t remember her complaining)  Which was a good reminder to me that children never really see the whole picture; of that I am grateful. 

After talking to my mom, it dawned on me that my blog will be a small glimpse into my life.  What I write will be a way for our children to know more about who I am as a person and a mother.  It will show them who I was in 2011, what we were doing as a family, our struggles and accomplishments.

So… I went back to my blog.  I re-read previous posts and I realized there was a time in my blogging that I shared more and gave more.  It was a couple years ago.  I was in such a good place.  I wrote about my thoughts and struggles.  I shared personal revelation and self discoveries.  I kept a current account of what was happening with the kids.  I was even better about posting a few little projects I had worked on.  My blog made me happy.  Some how in the midst of having four children I lost that.  Along the way, I lost a part of me.

As I read on, I read my “What I have learned” series.  I am so thankful that I took the time to write all that down.  It has helped me through some of the struggles that I face now; and then it dawned on me that it may help my daughters someday.

So… in honor of reclaiming me and what makes me happy I am taking back this blog.  I am making time for it again.  I will post about our family and all that happens in this crazy family of six.  I will also be posting a new weekly post called Glimpse.  It will be similar to “What I have learned.”; because it will include my thoughts on life and life’s lessons.  It will be a glimpse in to who I am.

Glimpse will record some of the topics we may have discussed at the dinner table, how I felt about a certain subject, or what I was wearing in 2011. Glimpse will allow our kids to get a glimpse of what is rolling around in this all too crazy brain of mine.  It may also be a glimpse of what our home looked like; or a project I did.  It will help remind them of some of the foods I made.  All in all; I hope it helps them reflect on their childhood and how much I love them.

Along with Glimpse; I will still just post the average everyday things we do as a family.  Glimpse will really be more of a way to share me.  In a world, where mothers are so busy.  In a world where we

often times get lost in the shuffle of doing for everyone else. I am reclaiming me. Glimpse is my method for sharing who I am, reminding myself of all that I have that is good, and leaving my legacy.  I hope along the way it becomes something you enjoy reading as well.

After my conversation with my mother this morning, I remembered a line from one of my favorite songs,

 “Things are never what they appear to be, so many different pieces make up the whole of me. So hold me in your hands, and take me as I am.” Mindy Gledhill

I thought about how we can never really understand anyone’s life.  Nothing is never as it appears.  Just as it appeared to me as a child that my mom had it all together, and unless I ask her I can never fully understand what her life was like at my age. 

I think it would be wonderful if you would all join me in sharing just a little bit more and giving your family, children and friends a deeper glimpse in to your world.

And that is just a

 

into mine.